


9: Hesitating

by rahelawriter



Series: FFXIV Write 2019 [5]
Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: Affection, Awkward Crush, Crushes, Early in Canon, F/M, Not Beta Read, Shyness, Tumblr: FFXIVwrite2019, Worry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-10
Updated: 2019-09-10
Packaged: 2020-10-13 23:30:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 851
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20590913
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rahelawriter/pseuds/rahelawriter
Summary: She can't bring herself to give voice to her real feelings.[Prompt #9 for FFXIV Write 2019: Hesitate]





	9: Hesitating

**Author's Note:**

> Somewhere in between Ifrit and Titan in 2.0 MSQ.

“So, Thancred. Hi. I know that the mission to Camp Drybone was… Pretty much a complete and utter failure. But you seem to be taking it especially hard. You’ve been so glum ever since, and you look exhausted, and I don’t think you’re eating much. So, I’m worried about you.”

… Said Rahela, to the mirror in her room.

“I don’t want to be a nag, but, we’re a team. And more importantly, I…” The next word died on her tongue, and she trailed off. “I-I like… I want you to be… No, no…”

Deep breaths, Rahela. Don’t make it sound weird.

“I… I care about you. As my friend.”

Pleadingly, she stared into her reflection’s wide eyes, hoping that her words would make sense… To no avail.

“Gods, what’s wrong with me?” She groaned, massaging her temples. “Why am I so nervous over this? I’m an adventurer and a primal-slayer now! Ifrit was the terror of my nightmares until I was fifteen, and I was able to kill him! So what am I scared of now?”

_ Because she didn’t have feelings for Ifrit, and didn’t want Ifrit to like her? _

Just go and find him. And talk to him. And tell her that she’s worried about him.

It was late in the evening, so Rahela was fairly sure that her bard friend would be in his quarters. Giving a light knock on his door, she felt her pulse quicken. Unable to help herself, she leaned her head against the door, to listen for signs of movement. And a moment later, she heard the scraping of a wooden chair against the stone floor. Without realizing it, she’d begun fussing with her tail, feeling the fur between her fingers.

Straightening herself up just moments before the door opened, and there he was. Looking as tired as ever, but his eyes were inquisitive when he saw his guest.

“Rahela? I thought you were on a mission. Did you just get back?”

There was so much she wanted to say, and yet… Words failed her, and she gave him the same wordless nod that she gave to so many strangers on her travels.

Thancred nodded back, and the motion jostled the black obsidian crystal he’d started wearing around his neck. Idly the miqo’te wondered where he got it…

“How’ve you been holding up?” Rahela asked, clasping her hands behind her back.

“Well enough. But you’re more in need of concern than I. Are your wounds healing properly…?”

The burn wounds she’d sustained while fighting Ifrit… Back when they were fresh, she was in so much pain that she could barely walk; without Thancred there, she never would have made it out of the Bowl of Embers, let alone back to the Sands. He carried her back to Drybone, and stayed by her bedside while she received healing…

“My wounds are fine.” He’s the one she’s more worried about.

“That’s good to hear. Was there something you needed?”

“Just… checking on you. I-I, I’ve…”

“Don’t be shy, now.”

She felt her face warm up. Rahela had so much she wanted to say and ask him, she thought she might burst, and yet, nothing came out. “I…”

_ I don’t want you to blame yourself for what happened. I don’t want you to devote too much of yourself to this mystery mission of yours. _

_ I want you to get some rest. I want you to remember to eat. I want you to know how grateful I am to you, and how much I admire you. How much I care about you… _

_ I want to see to it myself that you’re okay. _

“I want to stay here, in your room, for tonight, if you don’t mind.”

Keeping her head bowed, she feared that looking at Thancred’s response might make her lose her nerve. But the surprise in his voice was plenty evident. “… Whatever for? Just to sleep, or…?”

“N-no, no, just sleep. It’s just, I… don’t like sleeping by myself.”  _ I don’t think you’ll sleep if you’re by yourself. _ “If it’s too much trouble…”

“Certainly not!” Thancred reassured her, taking a step back so she could enter his room. She spotted a pile of thick books on his desk, several open and overlapping. “As important as my studies are, I could never deny such an earnest request.”

… Well, if she’d been upfront about her worries, he would have gently reassured her without actually answering her. So Rahela hesitated and couldn’t communicate what she wanted to; at least not verbally. But she managed, at least, hopefully giving him an opportunity to rest. And she wasn’t sure why simply talking to him was more difficult and flustering for her than physical contact. She nuzzled into the crook of Thancred’s arm, hugging him loosely around his torso, stroking her hand along the fabric of his tunic.

He was so warm, and his arm was around her… She knew that this sleeping arrangement wouldn’t be possible  _ every _ night. But she thought, if it happened often enough, then he would very likely start feeling better.

As she later discovered, she should not have hesitated.


End file.
